The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-10-20
ThEPUBLlC LANDS.
Synopsis of the Annual Report OF
the Commissioner OF the Cener-
al Land Office.
Fraudulent Land Entries and Rail-
road Lands Come in for Very
Large Share of Attention.
In opening his report, Sparks says:

fde settler, the prevention oil fraud, the
suppression OF land monopoly, the recov
cry OF public lands illegally seized or dom
mated, or the preservation OF the public
domain for actual inhabitancy by the peo-
pie OF the country, has been steadily main
tanned during the last year and has met
with the approved of all honest and lava
hiding citizens, especial, from settlers seek
ing actual homes on public lands. lhayen
word to recall which has hitherto been ut
tered touching the aggravated misappro.
priations to which public lands have been
subjected through improyident laws and
inefficient methods, and to which they are
still exposed under the present wasteful
and iraud-inspiring systems OF dis
posal. To prevent the despoil-
mcnt and unlawful acquisition OF public
domain and to restore to the people whose
heritage it is land irauduently obtained,
have been objects constantly in view, and
there is no regret to express or apology to
offer that efforts to accomplish that pur-
pose have aroused the hostility OF class
OF men with whose interests they have
been in conflict. The operations OF the
past year have been, as previously, con-
Quoted under the Encouragement of
inadequate appropriations; but with
the limited means at my disposal re-
suits have been achieved that
confirm the earlier statements OF the vast
ness OF this field OF reform, the confines OF
which only have been explored. The fol-
lowing statement shows the amount OF
public land restored to the public domain
since March +, 1850, and the amount now
pending action for recovery under recon-
mendations from this Office: Restored to
public domain within railroad limits, s.
95S, III. Area within railroad indemnity
limits, 81, 1928, 600 Private land claims,
SO, 600. Fraudulent entries and can
celed, 100000. Invalid swamp and
other state selections cancelled, $780,
7O4. Total restored to the public
domain, 81, S24, 4S1. Recovery OF lands
within railroad limits recommended and
pending for review OF secretary $ decision,
1890. Suits recommended for recovery
oil lands within railroad limits, 592, OSo.
Land adjudged by commissioner to be sub
ject to recovery under the adjustment vi
railroad grants so far as such adjustments
have been completed, 2,S97, $50. Recon-
mendations made to congress to reject
private land claims hitherto reported ia
vurably, 4, 1872. 479. Surveys ordered re-
Quoting areas of private land claims, 629,-
500. Suits to vacate private land patents,
632, 25o. Total, 9,499.49O.
OF public surveys in the various states
and territ cries the commissioner says:
Dakota-The only survey contracts
made dur ing the year were OF lands for al
lotment to Indians within the Lower
Brule reservation. Forty towns were sur
veyed under contract OF former years.
There have been many applications by
settlers for surveys in Dakato, but i'll
view OF the limited appro priations the
sum OF 50, 900 only could be apportioned
to that district for the current fiscal year.
Montana-The progress in office work
on agricultural surveys was small, in con-
sequence OF the totally insufficient appro.
priations for clerk hire for 1887. During
the year 1885 contracts were let amount
ing to $23, 800 for surveys OF public lands;
none OF the work was returned during the
year ending 1856. but in several deputies
made returns the principal portion OF
which remains unexamined for want OF
clerical force. The surveyor declined to
make any recon- mendation as to further
surveys in his district, believing it
necessary that provision be made for
the office work on surveys already con-
tracted for before entering upon addition
al surveys. Important surveys in this
territory for use in suits il the courts in
volving pecuniary interest to the govern
ment of upward $1,000, 600 could not be
contracted for at the rates allowed by
the present appropriation acts OF con-
gress.
He makes this recommendation:
5 The surveyor general strenuously urges
that congress should pass a statute OF
limitation fixing u time within
which new claims shall be filed OR there
after required. Such recommendation
has for several years been made by this
office, and l renew it as the first step re-
qEisite to a settlement OF such claims. |
also urge as matter OF the highest pub
lie Importance, that congress take up the
cases re.examined and reported by the sur
vcyor general and dispose OF the same in
the light OF the investigations that have
been made, or remit ali pending and accru
ing cases to this office and department for
final action.
SWAMP LAND CLAIMS.
OF swamp land claims the report says:
The claims presented under the act Of
congress relating to swamp and overflo W.
ed lands have reached the enormous
amount OF II, 4O7, 273 acres, and patents
have been issued for Sc, 743, 1876 acres, al
though the provisions OF the grant have
only been extended to fifteen Of the public
land states and do not apply to land in
the territories. In Minnesota the field
notes of the public surveys have been
adopted as the basis OF adjustment OF
the claims OF the state to swamp lands.
Afidavits filed in this office and
infornat ton received from other sources
show that many returns of surveys, es-
pecially in the northeastern part OF the
state have been falsely and corruptly
made in the interests Of railroad and 9th
or corporations having grants OF swamp
! lands from the state or Of persons claim
Ing to have purchased such lands from the
state and that many tracts valuable for
agricultural or for tmb or ore and not
in any sense swamp or overlooked lands
have been irauduiently returned as being
OF that character. A rigid investigation
nf tbpGa ria nv cnnnntnpt oppptc hoa
now been instituted.
The report says: One thousand and
eleven cases OF depredatons or trespass
have been reported upon, involving a val
ne in timber and the product thereof
amounting to Sc, las, 935, Sc recoverable
to the United States. The total amount
actually recovered to the government dur
ing the last year by judgment files, sales Of
timber and compromises SO far, on record
in this office is S12S, 642,O9 being S53,-
612.09 in excess OF the appropriation,
nearly all OF which was received the first
half Of the fiscal year.
GETS \ CRACK AT CONGRESS-.
He scores his party in congress a heavy
''side wipe for allowing appropriation
bills to fall, and says that for the lack Of
funds to pay the witnesses the suits
against Sierra Lumber company in Cali.
for2ia and the Northern Pacific Railroad
Next year Sparks wants fifty special tim
Der agents and $150,0o0. The re.
port repeats recommendations OF
former years, regarding reform OF
the land laws. lie recommends the
segregation OF timber lands for general
entry, the throwing open OF abandoned
military reservations to homestead entry,
81 law authorizing process for witnesses in
land cases before registers and receivers,
the abolition OF land office fees and sal
aries for registers and receivers, the regu.
lation OF attesting officers, the repeal
OF the REIMBURSEMENT law and
an Apr opration OF $4,000 per
year for the employing of
special counsel in land cases in the courts.
The report gives the estimates for office
work and clerk hire for the ensuing wear.
The total estimates are S2,45S, 636 as
against 1,50S, 4S0 appropriated for the
present fiscal year.
On the subject OF the forfeiture OF rail.
road land grants, the commissioner quotes
from his last annual report and adds:
/ renew the recommendation that forfeit
| ure be declared in all cases in which the
roads were not completed within the time
nd in the manner conditioned -, H. -